Catch Your Brain on Fire

PC: Aaron Springston

My book club read The Biology of Belief by Bruce Lipton this month. An interesting discussion ensued and was started off by our hostess for this month’s meeting saying that every day she likes to do something which catches her brain on fire. I love that thought! We decided anything can do this for us, whether it’s a comment made randomly by a stranger in the grocery store, a child expressing something we take for granted, or butterflies landing on flowers. In other words, if we’re paying attention (living in the moment, if you will), something will spark a flame in us which will catch our brain on fire with interest and a desire to know more, or be more, or simply sit and enjoy the smoldering embers. Every moment is a catalyst for this burst of interest, when we’re paying attention. Today I look forward to noticing what causes ignition!

“People go into ecstasies over the sense of a corporeal Jehovah, though with scarcely a spark of love in their hearts; yet God is Love, and without Love, God, immortality cannot appear.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 312:14-17

Internal Awakening

PC: Aaron Springston

I feel the “second coming” is an internal awakening. It involves seeing and feeling the never-beginning, never-ending Truth of our being. This burgeoning understanding has brought me the peace which intellectual reasoning never did. I see the world as a loving place, filled with people who care about each other and their environment. In the past, most every day numerous people would tell me why they felt the world was a hate-filled place. Now it's a rarity. Have they changed or have I? Is there a difference if we're all One? Love = Peace = Harmony. Feel the Love!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:[This is from the Glossary, where she gives us the spiritual significance of terms.]

"Japhet (Noah’s son): A type of spiritual peace, flowing from the understanding that God is the divine Principle of all existence, and that man is His idea, the child of His care."  Science & Health Page 589:8-11

Surrounded by Love

[This was written a few years ago when my gallery was open]

When sitting in my gallery with Steve Tyrell singing Frank Sinatra songs, it's easy to feel surrounded by Love. As this is the first cool day in quite some time, I have the front door open to enjoy the fresh air and invite people to come in and see the great collection of art and fine craft we have. Suddenly, the calm is broken by raucous laughter. I look out to see a seemingly drunken man standing in the middle of the street, pretending he's directing traffic, while his friend takes photos of the performance. I nearly slip into judgmental mode, but refrain. I have vowed to see everyone through the eyes of God today. So I enjoy his antics as I sway to the sultry music filling the air. Shortly thereafter, the man in the street comes in with his friend. They rather sheepishly talk about what they were doing. The friend states that usually the man in the street is a quiet, subdued person who would never think of making a scene. As I watch them enjoying their vacation, I see that they truly are reflecting Love, too. I see the motorcycles roaring by as extensions of the fun-loving folks riding them. I take a deep breath and smile.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“The very circumstance, which your suffering sense deems wrathful and afflictive, Love can make an angel entertained unawares.”

Science & Health Page 574: 27-30

Infinite Individuality

PC: Aaron Springston

At one point in her writings, Mary Baker Eddy refers to earth as a "preparatory school". To me this means we are learning how to let life become Life. As the image and likeness of God, we reflect eternal Life, divine Mind, healing Love. A number of friends are currently facing major challenges in their lives. While I can't experience what they are (as their feelings are individualized) I can remind them that they are always embraced in Love; that Love is contained by each and every one of us. We are unified in our essence, but individual in our form. As we go through our day, no matter what the circumstance, let's allow divine Love to lead the way.  

“The one Ego, the one Mind or Spirit called God, is infinite individuality, which supplies all form and comeliness and which reflects reality and divinity in individual spiritual man and things.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 281:14-17

Following Your Heart

PC: Aaron Springston

I met a young woman who told me that God was talking to all of us -- and it was time to listen! As we chatted briefly, she told a story of finding out her husband had a girlfriend, getting divorced, feeling hopeless. Then she left a job she didn't enjoy and followed her dream of starting a little antique store where she has lots of cool stuff, like freshly ground coffee and books she wants to share with others: a place where everyone feels welcome. She tells me this happened because she listened to God. Now, this guidance can be called many things -- following your heart, listening for the still small voice, living your dream -- but whatever it's called, it can only be heard by shutting out ego thoughts, the material-based fears, all those other voices telling us we're not good enough, not capable enough. It's heard by silencing the advice of mortal mind, telling us to just stay put because it's safe there and who knows what might happen if we listen to intuition and follow an unknown path. Well, I was very much buoyed by her joy and new-found confidence. It was inspiring that she started the conversation by telling me it was time to listen to God! She made me want to shout Hallelujah!

“Nature voices natural, spiritual law and divine Love, but human belief misinterprets nature. Arctic regions, sunny tropics, giant hills, winged winds, mighty billows, verdant vales, festive flowers, and glorious heavens,--all point to Mind, the spiritual intelligence they reflect. The floral apostles are hieroglyphs of Deity. Suns and planets teach grand lessons. The stars make night beautiful, and the leaflet turns naturally towards the light.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 240:1-9

Listening to Intuition

I was in a local thrift shop and overheard a woman telling of how she had "just known" she should bring her camera with her to work that day. She told her friend that she had repeatedly thought to pick up her camera and have it with her, but she had rationalized that there was no reason for that. So she left the camera behind. I did not have the chance to eavesdrop on why she had ended up needing it, but she had. She also told how she often had thoughts which proved to be valid, but she couldn't make herself believe them. Isn’t it great that we’re not afraid to listen to these intuitions, clearing the way for spiritual thought to be heard? And we know there is nothing to fear in this. Woo-hoo!!

“We cannot fill vessels already full. They must first be emptied. Let us disrobe error. Then, when the winds of God blow, we shall not hug our tatters close about us.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 201:13-15

Stressful or Fun?

"Moab" PC: Heather Peters

Every day brings unexpected events, and I’ve come to believe those can either be stressful or exciting and fun. This morning I accompanied a fine singer to a small town in Missouri to provide music for a funeral. When we walked into the little church, a barefoot priest showed us to the modest musical instrument we were expected to use. As it turned out, the acoustics in this building were the worst my friend, a classically-trained performer, had ever witnessed. Nevertheless, we provided the grieving congregation with a B+ service and no one got hurt. Reflecting on this event, I realize if we had concentrated on the problems, we could easily have become overwhelmed by them. But we did the best we could with what we had to work with, and finished feeling satisfied by the result. Isn’t this true of everything we face every day? “You’ve got to get up every morning with a smile on your face, and show the world all the love in your heart.” Carole King

“Let us learn of the real and eternal, and prepare for the reign of Spirit, the kingdom of heaven, — the reign and rule of universal harmony, which cannot be lost nor remain forever unseen.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page